Diaper Rashes: The Medical Side

The right diaper rash treatment depends on the cause

Quite simply, anything that appears as an irritation or rash on the skin in the diaper area is a diaper rash. While there are several types and causes of diaper rash, they fortunately don't seem to show up too often during the newborn period.

That said, the 2 types you are most likely to become personally familiar with are caused by contact irritation and yeast. Contact with pee or poop can sometimes be enough to cause irritation of the skin. In other instances, a type of yeast known as Candida albicans is responsible for causing considerable redness and irritation.

Candida is very commonly found in moist, warm areas, which helps explain why it primarily targets the diaper area — one of the most likely spots on a baby's body to be excessively moist. When Candida finds its way into the inside of an infant's mouth, it also can cause white plaque-like spots, a condition that is referred to as thrush. Changing your baby's diaper regularly (every couple of hours during the day) and allowing her skin to air dry before putting on the new diaper can definitely decrease her likelihood of getting a yeast diaper rash.

Treating Diaper Rash

The treatment of diaper rashes depends on the underlying cause. If irritation is to blame, simply getting rid of or limiting your baby's contact with whatever is causing the irritation — whether it is a particular type of soap, detergent, or even just irritating poop — is often all that is necessary.

Additionally, the use of zinc oxide creams, ointments, or petroleum jelly-type products that provide a protective barrier over the skin can help to limit the amount of contact and the severity of the resulting irritation.

And lastly, mild over-the-counter anti-inflammatory steroid creams such as hydrocortisone can often help reduce redness and pain. Parents should always be sure to discuss the use of this type of treatment with their doctor before using it, in part because of the possible harm that improper or prolonged use of steroids can cause to the skin, but also because of the potential for steroid creams to worsen a rash if it is, in fact, caused by yeast. Yeast infections require specially medicated anti-fungal creams — some of which are over-the-counter and others that can only be purchased with a prescription.

 

An Ounce of Powder?

Baby powder serves the basic purpose of reducing moisture and potential irritation in skin folds, and is often used not only in the diaper area but also under arms and in double (or triple) chin folds. While some parents commonly use baby powder, others (ourselves included) have never bothered. If you do choose to combat moist creases with baby powder, be sure to apply it carefully so that your baby doesn't end up lying in the middle of a powdery cloud. And even more importantly, buy talc-free baby powder (the most common alternative being a corn starch-based powder) because talcum powder can cause a chemical irritation and pneumonia in the lungs of babies who inhale it.